Did you ever notice that all Apple product advertisements display the time as 9:41? This detail might have escaped your attention, as it did for many of us. However, if you review past ads, you’ll spot this consistent time setting, though it hasn’t always been this way.
If you’re skeptical, take a moment to visit Apple’s website. You’ll find that I’m not making this up.
Since 2010, when the first iPad was introduced, nearly every Apple product has shown this specific time, yet it has gone largely unnoticed by the public.
Before this, the time was set at 9:42, a choice made by Steve Jobs. This time was first seen when the original iPhone was launched on January 9, 2007. The reason for this setting was that 9:42 was the actual time Jobs unveiled the iPhone to the world.
This moment is remembered as one of the most transformative in tech history.
Steve Forstall, Apple’s former senior vice president of iOS Software, discussed this with blogger and developer Jon Manning back in 2010.
“We design the keynotes so that the big reveal of the product happens around 40 minutes into the presentation,” Forstall reportedly explained, adding, “When the big image of the product appears on screen, we want the time shown to be close to the actual time on the audience’s watches. But we know we won’t hit 40 minutes exactly.”
The time was adjusted to 9:41 around the time of the first iPad release, as mentioned earlier.
These days, Apple is somewhat more flexible with time settings since they now often release video presentations of their new products, making exact timing less crucial.
Yet, Jobs’ influence persists with the 9:41 time setting on devices.
This is just one of many lesser-known facts about Apple.
For instance, in a span of ten years, the company invested $10 billion in a confidential project aimed at developing a car, known as Titan. Unfortunately, it never materialized.
While the reasons behind the project’s cancellation in early 2024 are unclear, Apple internally announced to the 2,000 employees involved that it was being terminated.